This year we commemorate 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. In this entry I would like to seize this opportunity and present him as one of the most significant figures in British literature.
Who was he? In the biography written by Stephen Greenblatt (2004) Shakespeare emerges as an active actor, a successful playwright and a recognised poet. “This is what everybody knows”, you will say. And you will be right, so if you want to know something more, read THIS book about his extraordinary life. And HERE is an interesting review of this biography.
Should you prefer to watch a film, watch this mini biography:
Are you intrigued by the comment on the authorship of Shakespeare’s works? Don’t miss out on the film “Anonymous” (2011) to find out what this controversy is about.
You can also watch a feature film about Shakespeare, full of fascinating details: “A Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and His Sonnets” (2005)
There are so many great films based on Shakespeare’s works. One of the most recent ones is probably the tragedy “Macbeth” (2015). However, I wish to finish this post on a happier note, so I will draw your attention to two comedies. The first one, “Much Ado About Nothing” (1993) stars a number of excellent actors, such as Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington and I believe that this is a pleasant film to watch on a Sunday afternoon 🙂 The other one, “The Taming of the Shrew” (2005) is an interesting adaptation of the play. I wonder how you like the ending of this film – do you consider it funnier than in the original version?
References:
Greenblatt, S. (2004). “Will in the World. How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare”. London: Jonathan Cape
Culture Class 